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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. P. GROVES. TABLE.

No. 379,780. Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. F. GROVES. TABLE.

No. 379,780. Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

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Nrrnn Starts OLIVER F. GROVES, OF ALDA, NEBRASKA.

TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,780, dated March 20, 1888.

Application filed October 25, 1887.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER F. Gnovns, a resident of Alda, in the county of Hall and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tables; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in self-waiting dining-tables,and is fully described and explained in this specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan of my improved table. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the table through the line 00 a9, Fig. 1, the view being in the direction indicated by the arrow in. in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the table, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow m, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of two of the separable sections making up the frame of the table, and Figs. 5 and 6 are views illustrating an adjustable indicator to be used in connection with the table for the purpose of indicating articles to be served.

In the views, A A- A are sections which, when connected, make up the sides of the frame ofa table having any given length pro portionate to the number ofsuch sections employed. Each of the sections is provided with a leg, B, and the various sections may be readily connected by means of tongues a on the corresponding ends of the different sections, the tongues being adapted to enter suitable gains in the opposite ends of the sections, respectively, as illustrated in the drawings. The sections A A, forming one of the ends of the table, are connected by a cross-piece, A, and the corresponding sections at the opposite end of the frame are connected by a similar cross piece, A, the sections so connected by crosspieces being always usedin the table, and the length of the entire table being increased by the insertion between said end sections of any number of auxiliary sections having the form illustrated in Fig. 4. On the table-frame thus formed moves reciprocally from end to end a table-top, 0, having substantially the length of one-half of the table-frame, and supported by the rollers c, which rest upon the frame. A rod, D, extending from end to end of the table-frame, passes through eyes or staples 0,

Serial No. 253,355. (No model.)

attached to the lower face of the table-top, and serves as a guide for the top in its movement from end to end of the frame. Two transverse horizontal shafts, E, are j ournaled in the tableframe and provided with sprocket-wheels E, around which passes a sprocket-chain, F, of ordinary construction, and one of these shafts E is provided with a crank, E, by means of which it may be rotated and the sprocketchain moved continuously.

A pitman, G, is pivoted at one end on a staple, g, in the lower face of the table-top O, and at the other end on a projecting stud, 9', attached to the sprocket-chain; and it is evident that the rotation of the shaft E and the consequent continuous movement of the sprocketchain F carries the stud 9 through the entire circuit traversed by the chain, and thus moves the pitman G and the table-top G backward and forward through a space equal to the distance between the outermost points of the two sprocket-wheels, whereby the table-top is carried backward and forward from end to end of the frame on which it rests. The motion imparted to the table-top by this movement of the chain is the best possible for a device of this kind, since itis uniform through the greater portion of each trip of the tabletop, but decreases gradually at the end thereof.

In practice the table is placed, preferably, partly in one room and partly in another, the two rooms being separated by a partition, as P, and articles of food being placed on the table-top in one room and carried thence for consumption into the other room. One of these rooms will ordinarily be the kitchen, or the room in which the food is prepared, and the other the dining-room; and I prefer to place that end of the table which is provided with the crank in the kitchen, and also to attach to the table at the sameend a bell, H, which may be rung by means ofa cord, h, extending from end to end of the table and having a suitable pull in the dining-room. As shown in the drawings, the table top is at the end of the table opposite that which is provided with the crank and bell-that is to say, in the diningroom. If, now, it be desired to remove from the tabletop articles of food already upon it, or to have it supplied, the bell in the kitchen is rung by pulling the cord h, and the tabletop is moved to the kitchen by rotating the crank E and shaft E. When the desired changes have been made, the table-top-nnay evidently be returned to the opposite end of the table by again rotating the crank either in the same direction, as before, or in the opposite direction.

It is evident that in order to make this device convenient and available it is necessary to provide some means for indicatingthe articles with which the table is to be supplied when moved from the dining-room to the kitchen,and for this purpose I have constructed the device illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, and which I denominate a bill of fare. This device consists ofa frame, K, of any desired shape and size, in which are pivoted a large nu mber of independent strips, is, each of which is marked on one side with the name of some article of food and on the other side with a figure indicating the required number of dishes or portions of the given article. It is preferable to indicate on a number of the strips the same article of diet, marking the several strips, however, on their opposite faces with different figures, as 1, 2, 3, &c., and it is convenient to make the strips of different lengths proportionate to the numbers indicated by the figures marked on them, respectively. Thus, for instance, in Fig. 5 it will be seen that three strips are marked on one side with the word eggs, the three strips being all of different lengths. In pursuance of the system above indicated these strips are marked on opposite sides with figures, the shortest with the figure 1, the second with the figure 2, and the third with the figure 3, and this same system may be pursued in the lettering and numbering of a series of strips of any number, great or small.

The use of the bill of fare, which is evident from the foregoing description, is as follows: Before ringing the bell for the removal of the table-top from the dining-room to the kitchen the waiter in charge of the table takes the orders of the guests seated thereat and raises from their normal positions a number of strips sufficient to indicate all the orders so taken. Thus, if one order be given for eggs, the strip marked on one side with the word eggs and on the opposite side with the figure 1 is raised, and if three orders be given for coffee the strip marked on one side with the word coffee and on the other with the figure 3 is raised in the same way. When the strips have been so adjusted as to indicate all the orders taken, the bill of fare is placed .upon the table, the bell is rung, and the table-top removed to the kitchen for the purpose of filling the order.

Having now described and explained my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, .with a table-frame provided with aguide-rod,D. ofa top, 0, provided with rollers resting on said frame, and eyes or staples encircling said guide-rod, and means, substantially as shown and described, for imparting reciprocating motion to said table-top, substantially as and for thc purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a table frame and a table-top having a reciprocating motion thereon, of transverse shafts journaled in the frame, wheels mounted on said shafts respectively, a chain or belt encircling said Wheels, and a pitman connecting apoint on said chain with a point on said table-top, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Thecombi nation, with thesectional frame A A A A A, of the table top 0, provided with rollers c, resting on said frame, the guide rod D, staples 0, attached to the tabletop and encircling said guide-rod, the shafts E E, journaled in the frame and provided with sprocket-wheels E, the sprocket-chain E, surrounding said sprocket-wheels, and the pitman G, pivoted at one end to the'table-top and at the opposite end on a stud, g, on the sprocketchain, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OLIVER F. GROVES.

Witnesses:

J. W. BARTHOLOMEW, J. W. ORooKs. 

